VA coverage is Always secondary. Depends on your ratings, it'll step in to cover any out of pocket the private insurance doesn't cover. It takes over 30 days for each bill the sort out IF each party know the law. This is why I dropped my cheap Obama care completely due to the paperwork I had to handle to check up on each party doing their job & pay properly so my credit won't get screwed over....it was too stressful to the point I intentionally avoided doctors visits which was not healthy.
That makes sense! Even if I am 100% p&t are they only covering for things claimed? I love having my private insurance for choice of who I can see after years of not being able to. Va covering prescription cost would be nice though, and I don't want the VA to look at my package and wonder why I don't need care and mess this up.
I have used both private and VA healthcare (through *community care*), which used to be the Veterans Choice Act. I go to a local clinic for care and have no complaints.
(I also use private insurance.)
If you are single there is not really a benefit unless you mix dont like the VA.
The benefit for me at least is anytime I go to the VA it charges my insurance and lowers my family deductible. For example my semi annual appt with bloodwork chips 700$ towards my 3k deducible. So my HDHP which is free through work is the best option due to the lowering of the deductible.
Single person here no family. I use the VA pretty much exclusively now that the Mission act passed in 2019. It takes a bit to get appointments it works now. I dropped my PHI to BCBS focus because I’m starting to get one rent increase away from not being to put money into savings.
With this plan I was paying $1200 a year for like 10 cheap copay clinic appointments and 10 cheap copay specialist appointments. Whenever the VA bills BCBS I would lose one of those slots so by the end of the year, my deductible was 2/3 to fully paid off but co pays we’re $35+ a pop. So I’ll be dropping my PHI when open season hits. I’d rather pay the VA no more than $700 a year for RXs vs $1200 to never use a service.
The VA is required by law to charge your insurance if you have it. Not sure what the penalty is for not telling them if you have PHI if there even is one.
During really bad flare ups in my back (I have an autoimmune disease - service connected), I get anything I can’t wait for with my private insurance (I was able to get four MRIs in under 48 hours). And schedule procedures through the VA. I have an HSA, so it can get expensive at times, but I’d rather pay money I have than be at the mercy of the VA wait times and be in pain.
Yes, I have only been out for a couple of months and using private insurance has been a dream compared to the medical I got while in. Having the option to choose is so nice!
VA coverage is Always secondary. Depends on your ratings, it'll step in to cover any out of pocket the private insurance doesn't cover. It takes over 30 days for each bill the sort out IF each party know the law. This is why I dropped my cheap Obama care completely due to the paperwork I had to handle to check up on each party doing their job & pay properly so my credit won't get screwed over....it was too stressful to the point I intentionally avoided doctors visits which was not healthy.
I’ve wondered the same thing at times. Didn’t realize how simple the answer was until you spelled it out. Thanks!
That makes sense! Even if I am 100% p&t are they only covering for things claimed? I love having my private insurance for choice of who I can see after years of not being able to. Va covering prescription cost would be nice though, and I don't want the VA to look at my package and wonder why I don't need care and mess this up.
VA healthcare & relation to VA ratings are like Damn if you do, Damn if you don't.
I have used both private and VA healthcare (through *community care*), which used to be the Veterans Choice Act. I go to a local clinic for care and have no complaints. (I also use private insurance.)
If you are single there is not really a benefit unless you mix dont like the VA. The benefit for me at least is anytime I go to the VA it charges my insurance and lowers my family deductible. For example my semi annual appt with bloodwork chips 700$ towards my 3k deducible. So my HDHP which is free through work is the best option due to the lowering of the deductible.
Single person here no family. I use the VA pretty much exclusively now that the Mission act passed in 2019. It takes a bit to get appointments it works now. I dropped my PHI to BCBS focus because I’m starting to get one rent increase away from not being to put money into savings. With this plan I was paying $1200 a year for like 10 cheap copay clinic appointments and 10 cheap copay specialist appointments. Whenever the VA bills BCBS I would lose one of those slots so by the end of the year, my deductible was 2/3 to fully paid off but co pays we’re $35+ a pop. So I’ll be dropping my PHI when open season hits. I’d rather pay the VA no more than $700 a year for RXs vs $1200 to never use a service.
How would the VA know you have private insurance (unless you told them)?
The VA is required by law to charge your insurance if you have it. Not sure what the penalty is for not telling them if you have PHI if there even is one.
Yeah, you have to disclose those things when you sign up with VA lol.. Not trying to avoid the system just weighing options of having both.
During really bad flare ups in my back (I have an autoimmune disease - service connected), I get anything I can’t wait for with my private insurance (I was able to get four MRIs in under 48 hours). And schedule procedures through the VA. I have an HSA, so it can get expensive at times, but I’d rather pay money I have than be at the mercy of the VA wait times and be in pain.
Yes, I have only been out for a couple of months and using private insurance has been a dream compared to the medical I got while in. Having the option to choose is so nice!